Jose L. Briones, Avenue in Cebu City

There is another street in Cebu City named after a Briones, it is the Jose L. Briones Avenue, after the son of the well known and respected legislator and jurist Manuel C. Briones (M.C. Briones Street).

The street named after Jose is the once unnamed street located perpendicular to Gen. Arcadio Maxilom and Juan Luna Extention (now Pope John Paul II) as well as parallel with Jaime C. De Veyra Street and Sergio Osmeña Jr. Boulevard at the North Reclamation Area, Cebu City.

Jose, son of Manuel and Celestina, finished his elementary at Zapatera Elementary School as valedictorian and his high school at the Ateneo de Manila High School in 1931 as valedictorian. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts at Ateneo de Manila as magna cum laude.

He joined politics after the war and passing the bar in 1947 as No. 1 councilor in the City of Cebu. He was city councilor until 1954. He became Governor of Cebu from 1956 to 1961. He was elected Congressman of the then Second Congressional District of Cebu in 1961, and served up to December 30, 1969 and then retired from politics.

He was known for his campaign slogan “Puwera ang Panapi ug Panikas” which represents his incorruptible character and unblemished government record.

It took 40 years for the City of Cebu to honor Jose after he retired from politics with a street for the youth and the people of Cebu and future generations to emulate and serve as a role model. It is said that Jose died penniless but left a legacy of untainted and illustrious public record.

City Ordinance No. 1825 on motion of Councilor Edgardo Colina Labella, seconded by Councilor Manuel P. Legaspi, enacted on April 5, 2000, named the street in honor of Jose L. Briones. The City Council's presiding officer was then Vice Mayor Renato Veloso Osmeña. The ordinance was then approved by Mayor Alvin B. Garcia on April 13, 2000.